Raccoon rabies surveillance and control operations

The Gouvernement du Québec has implemented a plan to fight against raccoon rabies. It provides for surveillance and control operations to limit the spread of this rabies variant in Québec. 

Raccoon rabies surveillance and control operations target raccoons, skunks and foxes.

Surveillance operations consist of collecting animals that have died or show signs of rabies in high risk zones in order to carry out analyses to determine whether or not they are infected with the disease.

Raccoon rabies surveillance aims to:

• Detect cases of racoon rabies in wild animals in Québec in order to quickly identify an outbreak of rabies;
• Measure the intensity and duration of the outbreak of raccoon rabies in Québec and the size of the territory affected;
• Monitor the situation of raccoon rabies outside Québec, as the disease could represent a threat to new areas;
• Provide data to support scientific and epidemiological findings and conduct risk analyses.

Surveillance Reports

The distribution map of specimens collected in 2026 (PDF 1.11 Mb) shows the number of animals collected and analyzed as part of raccoon rabies surveillance in Québec since January 1, 2026. You can also view the list of rabies cases detected in Québec.

The distribution maps of specimens collected, as well as the annual reports on surveillance and control operations, are available for previous years:

• Distribution map of specimens collected in 2025 (PDF 1.13 Mb)
• Report on raccoon rabies surveillance and control operations in 2024 (PDF 5.70 Mb)
• Report on raccoon rabies surveillance operations in 2023 (PDF 1.14 Mb)
• Report on raccoon rabies surveillance operations in 2022 (PDF 8.40 Mb)

See all reports on raccoon rabies surveillance and control operations.

Enhanced surveillance zone

The enhanced surveillance zone, located in Montérégie, Estrie and Centre-du-Québec, covers the territory of municipalities where the likelihood of detecting raccoon rabies cases in wildlife is highest. Residents in this area are called upon to report suspicious animals year round. Their collaboration is essential because among all the specimens analyzed, the odds of detecting a rabid animal are highest among the animals reported by citizens.

The area includes 224 municipalities, Indigenous territories and unorganized territories (UTs). Consult the List of municipalities targeted by the enhanced surveillance (PDF 231 Kb) and the map of Québec raccoon rabies enhanced surveillance area (PDF 0.98 Mb) to see the extent of the territory in this zone.

Return of raccoon rabies in Québec

In December 2024, a case of raccoon rabies was identified in Québec, despite the control operations carried out in Québec and Vermont. This is the first case identified since the one discovered in the southwest of Montérégie in 2015. Since December 2024, other cases have been discovered in Estrie and Montérégie. In addition to the initial outbreak that appeared in Saint-Armand in December 2024, a second outbreak was identified in Stanstead in August 2025. In spring 2026, we observed a significant increase in cases in the two raccoon rabies outbreaks.

Since 2022, several cases of raccoon rabies have been detected in raccoons and striped skunks in the state of Vermont, in the United States. From 2023 onward, the outbreak gradually spread toward the Canada-US border, leading to the development of two distinct active outbreaks in Québec in 2025. Large-scale interventions are being deployed south of the border by American authorities to limit the spread of the disease and eliminate it. Close collaboration with these authorities is ongoing in order to implement the most effective strategies to limit the spread of raccoon rabies on both sides of the border.

From 2006 to 2009, a total of 104 raccoon rabies cases were confirmed in wildlife in Estrie and Montérégie. Control operations then made it possible to slow the spread of the disease in Québec following this first introduction. Subsequently, only one other isolated case was detected in 2015, in Montérégie.

Only raccoons, skunks and foxes in the Estrie, Montérégie and Centre-du-Québec regions are currently under surveillance. You can report these wild animals if they are sick, injured or dead, or if you suspect they are showing signs of rabies. Only animals of interest for surveillance, located in the targeted municipalities (PDF 231 Kb), are collected.

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Elsewhere in Québec, if you find that the behaviour or health of a raccoon, striped skunk or fox seems abnormal, you can also report it.

Control operations seek to contain, reduce, or eliminate raccoon rabies in a given territory. The vaccination of wild animals through the manual and aerial distribution of vaccine baits is the main intervention measure. The aim is to immunize raccoons, skunks and foxes against the disease, to protect human health.

In 2024, due to the high risk of raccoon rabies returning, control operations resumed in Estrie and Montérégie and continued in 2025. In 2026, two vaccine bait distribution operations are planned in the annual plan, namely in April and August. A “trap-vaccinate-release” operation was carried out in May and June 2026. Additional operations could be added depending on how the situation evolves. These operations must continue over the next few years to slow the spread of the disease in Québec and eventually eliminate it.

Manual distribution

A manual distribution of vaccine baits took place in Estrie and Montérégie from April 27 to May 8, 2026. The operation covered a territory of nearly 2,500 km² (PDF 1.15 Mb) in 55 municipalities in Estrie and Montérégie (PDF 200 Kb). More than 206,000 vaccine baits were distributed.

Other targeted operations will take place in July and August in certain higher-risk areas of the enhanced surveillance zone.

The baits are placed near wooded areas, waterways, around fields, agricultural facilities and abandoned buildings, and near garbage bins.

Additional “trap-vaccinate-release” vaccination operation in Montérégie

Since March 2026, raccoon rabies cases have increased significantly across Montérégie, threatening municipalities on Montréal’s South Shore. Cases have also been detected west of the Rivière Richelieu (PDF 1.11 Mb) and in the Saint-Hyacinthe area. The raccoon rabies outbreak in the Stanstead area, in Estrie, has also progressed, reaching the Magog area.

To prevent the spread of rabies toward the urban areas of Montréal’s South Shore, the Ministère’s teams carried out an additional vaccination operation in an area of approximately 750 km² (PDF 1.07 Mb) in Montérégie. The operation ran from May 12 to June 23, 2026, and covered 32 municipalities (PDF 190 Kb).Other “trap-vaccinate-release” operations could be deployed in certain municipalities of the enhanced surveillance zone to strengthen raccoon vaccination and attempt to slow the spread of rabies toward urban centres.

This type of operation aims to capture raccoons and skunks using cages, vaccinate them and release them on site. The objective is to immunize as many wild animals as possible. The work will be carried out by wildlife technicians and animal health professionals.

The cages used comply with international trapping standards, are identified in the name of the Gouvernement du Québec, and are checked daily. If a domestic animal or an unintended species is accidentally captured, it will be released. Vaccinated raccoons and skunks will be marked with an ear tag and non-toxic paint that fades over time. This method makes the teams’ work easier in the event of recapture.

To ensure the smooth running of this type of operation and reduce the risks associated with rabies, residents are invited to follow the recommendations below:

• Keep your domestic animals indoors or under supervision to prevent them from being captured in cages;
• Do not approach the cages and never attempt to feed or release a captured animal.

If you have any questions, contact us at 1-877-346-6763.

If the bait is intact, in a place accessible to wildlife and away from human activity, leave it there without handling. It will therefore be available to be consumed by the targeted animals. 

To dispose of an intact vaccine bait that inadvertently ends up in a heavily trafficked area, in a harvest or in the immediate environment of farm animals, the best solution is to toss it in the trash. It is, however, recommended to wear gloves when handling the bait and to place it in a leakproof container (plastic bag, plastic dish, etc.) before discarding. Thoroughly clean any fruit or vegetables that may have been in contact with the bait.

If the bait is pierced or crushed, avoid contact with the vaccine liquid and use tools, such as a shovel, to dispose of it in a leakproof container. Always thoroughly wash your hands after handling.

In case of contact with a pierced or crushed bait, call Info-Santé 811 or dial the number on the back of the bait to assess if there is a health risk.

If vaccine bait has been in contact with fruits or vegetables intended for human consumption or ingested by a farm animal, notify the Canadian Centre for Veterinary Biologics at 1-855-212-7695 and the authorities of the provincial raccoon rabies vaccination program of the Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs at 1-877-346-6763.

If your domestic animal has eaten a vaccine bait and you have questions or concerns, please contact a veterinarian. It is very important to note that a pet cannot be considered vaccinated against rabies after eating a vaccine bait. Vaccine baits are designed for wild animals such as raccoons and skunks, which are the main ”reservoir” species of the disease in natural environments. Their effectiveness has not been tested or proven in domestic animals.

Any municipality wishing to raise awareness about raccoon rabies can do so using the following tools:

• Images for display on digital signage (ZIP 7.33 Mb) (in French only);
• Content to be shared on social media (ZIP 2.08 Mb);
• A news story about the ban on transporting wild animals. You are authorized to publish this text in municipal newspapers;
• An information pamphlet (PDF 370 Kb) and poster (PDF 758 Kb) on reporting;
• An information pamphlet (PDF 500 Kb) and poster (PDF 0.95 Mb) (in French only) about the ban on transporting wild animals;
• A leaflet on raccoon rabies surveillance and control operations in Québec (PDF 2.63 Mb);
• A poster (PDF 1.02 Mb) (in French only) on safe habits;
• A leaflet and poster (in French only) on wild animals and rabies;
• A notice on "Trap-Vaccinate-Release"-Type operation for wild animals (PDF 62 Kb);
• Video capsules (in French only):
  • Rabies: A sick animal is not always aggressive
  • Rabies: Risks to human health;
  • Rabies in humans: A fatal but preventable disease.